1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an injection device for the injection of a medical agent, comprising a device housing, a reception compartment for a vial containing the agent to be injected, advancement mechanics for moving an injection needle that is inserted in the device in the direction of puncturing, and a pressing facility for pressing agent from a vial that is inserted in the reception compartment for the purpose of an injection process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Injection devices are known and commercially available, for example, as so-called “insulin pens”. They are used in particular by insulin-dependent diabetics in order to self-administer doses of insulin they need. An injection device of this type is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,249, for example, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
For effective therapy, insulin-dependent diabetics need to check their glucose level multiple times daily by performing measurements on a suitable body fluid, usually blood and/or interstitial fluid. For this purpose, a suitable puncturing aid is used to generate a puncturing wound in a body part, usually a finger, and body fluid obtained from the puncturing wound is assayed by means of a test strip and a measuring device. The insulin dose to be injected is then set as a function of the glucose level thus determined and injected by means of an injection device.
A measuring device allowing the blood glucose content to be determined by means of the corresponding test strips is integrated in the injection device known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,249.
Despite the progress that has been made over many decades of development of puncturing aids for generating puncturing wounds for obtaining body fluid samples and of injection devices for the injection of insulin, affliction by an insulin-dependent diabetes continues to be a substantial burden for the afflicted. Multiple daily measurements and injections of insulin needed for therapy to be effective are a tedious burden that is exacerbated by the need to always carry along a puncturing device, an injection device, lancets for the puncturing device, injection needles for the injection device, insulin vials, and test strips.